For Fairfield trainer, fitness is both mental and physical

Rebecca Haynes

Published 4:03 pm, Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Loredana Trandu probably wouldn't have the happy life she now enjoys without the hardships that came before.

The 40-year-old Fairfield resident (and HealthyLife magazine's June cover model) lived through the communist regime in Romania and later suffered from depression and anxiety. But she found her way through it all and discovered inner peace and love.

Happily married, Trandu and her husband, Christopher Constand, celebrated their one-year anniversary in May. Theirs is a personal and professional commitment. In April of 2012, just a month before they wed, they opened Transcend: Mind/Body Training & Beyond in Fairfield. The business allows Trandu to share her passion for balancing fitness of the body and mind. A licensed psychotherapist, yoga teacher and personal trainer, she has taken an unusual journey to get where she is today. "I think I have a story to tell that would be helpful to others," she said. "I've walked in those shoes [of depression and anxiety], but now I'm walking in different ones. And I feel I can take people on that path and guide them [to a better life]."

Trandu spoke more about her past and her passion for mental and physical health in a recent Q and A interview.

Q: You came to the U.S. as a teenager. How difficult was the adjustment to a new country?

A: I was 17 and a half and it was hard, because I didn't speak any English when I came. I took (English as a second language) classes. You learned by watching TV and just being immersed in the language. We didn't have a choice, really. We were here and we had to learn it. But it was a tough adjustment and really a loss of identity for me. The thing that saved me was tennis. I was a professional player in Romania, so I joined the team at Stamford High School and was the number one singles player.

Q: So fitness has always been important to you?

A: Yes. First out of necessity because I was an athlete, so we had to be disciplined. But I found that my self-discipline was excessive. So I had to find my way to balance.

Q: Explain what you mean by balance.

A: It became very obvious to me having been just the athlete, or just the mind person, or the yogi, that it was very important to have all of these components working together to become a whole healthy human being.

Q: You say you practice mindful fitness. Can you elaborate on that concept?

A: Mindful fitness is not so much goal-oriented, because I want to lose a certain amount of weight. It's about reconnecting to your body in a healthy way.

Q: How do you spend your free time?

A: I don't have much free time! But I do love going on hikes with my husband. We both love to try new things. We never give each other actual stuff for gifts. We give each other trips. We love exploring together.